Posts tagged Education Savings Accounts
Teachers’ Unions vs. Teachers, Parents, and Children: The NEA and AFT
September 20, 2023 // Between them, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers have nearly five million members. Their national associations report annual revenues of approximately $370 million and $200 million, respectively, which are drawn overwhelmingly from dues paid by those members, and that doesn’t include the hundreds of millions in revenue that their local affiliates collect. The Bigfoot lobbyists of the NEA and AFT want more more more when it comes to spending, as lobbies invariably do, but they are frequently found in a negative posture, for no one hates the idea of reform quite as much as a teachers’ union. Vouchers, charter schools, education savings accounts, merit pay for teachers…you name it, the teachers’ unions are against it.
Opinion: Glenn Youngkin’s path to White House must plow through teachers union monopoly in education
August 24, 2023 // The unions are highly motivated. One of Gov. Youngkin’s top priorities is Education Savings Accounts, which will provide every family with thousands of dollars a year to spend on schools of their choosing. Virginia families got a taste in spring of 2023 when the governor approved a $30 million grant fund for families to hire tutors and get other educational services. The fund was oversubscribed, showing incredible demand from families for education freedom. Yet more such policies, especially ESAs, are the greatest threat to teachers’ unions, since they break the de facto monopoly of public K-12 education. That monopoly contributes to student failure. According to the National Assessment of Educational Priorities, which is typically called "the nation’s report card," Virginia’s students are massively falling behind. Barely 37 percent of 4th graders are proficient in Math, while only 31 percent are proficient in English – down 10 and 6 points in three years, respectively. By 8th grade, average scores are even lower, with less than a third of students achieving proficiency in math, reading, and writing. Education Savings Accounts are the ticket to excellence Virginia students need. They’ll give families access to a marketplace of options, spurring the competition and innovation that could transform student performance for decades to come. Sadly, teachers’ unions would rather keep as many students in public schools as possible, even if it means stunting student success.